Zelensky Slams Trump For Praising Putin, Questions Him On Not Recognizing Russia Threat

Former US President Trump praised Russian President Vladimir Putin even after Moscow invaded Ukraine, and this has surprised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Zelensky told in an exclusive chat with CNN that was aired Sunday that he believes Trump had "enough time, plenty of time, to understand who Putin is." The Ukrainian leader said that Trump was sitting at such a high position where it’s not even possible "not to recognize that (Putin) is the opponent in terms of values to your own people." According to Zelensky, Trump has "all the might of this country -- intelligence, data -- to create a psychological profile.” As per CNN's translation, he said that he was “surprised” at the former U.S. President's behavior “even after the beginning, with a full-fledged invasion.”

Zelensky thought that probably Trump needed this to promote "his domestic policy to show that he’s ready to find understanding with the President of Russia." He said that Ukraine in his eyes is too far away, but this ongoing war has "no distances it could not cover, so I believe he needs to look at the situation without, as we say, pink glasses on."

Months ago, Trump lauded Putin’s military operation leading up to the Ukraine invasion in February as “genius” and “savvy." The comments drew ire even from some in his own political party. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (Republican-California) refuted Trump’s “genius” comments. Representative Liz Cheney (Republican-Wyoming) said that his “adulation” of Trump “aids our enemies.”

The Hill reported that after the invasion by Russia, Trump said that he was “surprised” that Putin had gone through with the attack. Trump said that he thought Putin was negotiating when he sent his soldiers to the border, and he thought it was a "tough but a smart way to negotiate.”

In March, during a Georgia rally, he called the invasion a "big mistake," reported Business Insider. But he noted his admiration of authoritarian leaders like Putin by saying, "The smartest one gets to the top."

Congress voted several times in favor of billion-dollar military packages for Ukraine with bipartisan support, but the Grand Old Party's hard right stance has tended to side with the Russian leader.